Slab charger



Get. 29, 19 8 w. E. GUSTASHAW ETAL 3,407,944

SLAB CHARGER Filed Nov. 17, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 r P F P 3 4 .J L. d 1 L1 #5 M44140! 5 60:14am Dav/0 Pea/5e E INVENTORB.

Oct. 29, 1968 w. E. GUSTASHAW ETAL 3,407,944

SLAB CHARGER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 17. 1966 @a H aw MM MM O 4 i 8 i g n m w 1 m... -m w E a 3 m 8 Mauan E. Guarnsnnv DAV/0 Rance INVENTORQ '477'0EA/EV 1963 w. E. GUS'TASHAW ETAL 3,407,944

SLAB CHARGER Filed Nov. 17. 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 III 1N VEN TOR8 71 1512 4770ENK Oct. 29, 1968 w. E. GUSTASHAW ETAL 3,407,944

SLAB CHARGER Filed Nov. 17. 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 W m V v,

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w 5 P W n mm V w X. N: MW (V m E o M 7 United States Patent 3,407,944 SLAB CHARGER William E. Gustashaw, West Miillin, and David Rosner,

McKeesport, Pa., assignors to Amsler Morton Company, a Division of Textron Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., a

corporation of Rhode Island Filed Nov. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 595,090 6 Claims. (Cl. 214-26) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A charging mechanism for transporting slabs to and from a roll table to a reheat furnace. The charging mechanism includes a rail mounted carriage that is positioned adjacent a roll table. A drive means is provided to propel the carriage on the rails toward and away from the reheat furnace positioned on the side of the roll table. Lift arms are pivotally secured to the carriage and depend downwardly therefrom. An arm lift mechanism is mounted on the carriage for pivotally moving the lift arms and includes a motor drivingly connected to a shaft supported on the carriage. The shaft has an eccentric sleeve mounted thereon. A housing with an eccentric bore is journaled on the eccentric sleeve and has a depending end portion connected to the lift arm so that rotation of the shaft pivots the lift arm to raise or lower the lift arm.

This invention relates to a charging machine and more particularly to a charging machine for handling slabs or other materials in conjunction with a reheat furnace or the like.

In the continuous processing of slabs in a steel mill the slabs are brought to a rolling machine on a roll table or conveyor line. The temperature of the slabs on the roll table must be suitable for the subsequent rolling operation. It sometimes occurs that some of the slabs on the roll table become chilled and fall below that temperature required for the subsequent rolling operation. In the past, these chilled slabs being too cold to roll were removed from the roll table and scrapped or reprocessed. In the past, furnaces have been served by conventional charging crane mechanisms, which conveyed the cold slabs into the furnace and withdrew the heated slabs therefrom. These conventional charging crane mechanisms are slow in operation and their use interrupted the continuous processing of sla-bs, now utilized in steel mills, for a long period of time, thereby defeating in part the advantages of the continuous processing of slabs. Further, these conventional charging crane mechanisms received the slabs by a magnet or slab handling tongs. Elongated slabs when heated to rolling temperatures are flexible at this elevated temperature and have a tendency to bend with the use of conventional charging crane mechanisms. The slabs were at times deformed when they were Withdrawn from the furnace. It was found that conventional charging crane mechanisms fail to provide adequate support for the slabs. Also, the magnet or slab handling tongs because of the relatively limited gripping area thereof contributed to the deformation of the slabs as they were removed from the furnace. I

The present invention overcomes the necessity of scrapping a chilled slab with its attendant high cost. It provides further a charging machine which will quickly remove a chilled slab from the roll table, deliver it to a reheat furnace and return it to the roll table with a minimum of interruption to the continuous processing line. Also, a charging machine is provided that will adequately support a heated slab thereby overcoming its tendency to bend upon removal from the reheat furnace.

Briefly, the present invention comprises a charging machine fortransferring sla'bs between a roll table and a reheat furnace. The charging machine includes an elevated carriage means with lift arm means, which is adapted to traversely move towards and away from the reheat furnace. The carriage means supports an actuating means for effecting the traverse movement. The carriage means also supports another actuating means for effecting lifting or lowering movement to the lift arms.

Thus, one object of this invention is to provide a new and improved charging machine that will obviate the necessity of scrapping chilled rolls on a continuous slab processing line which delivers slabs to rolling machines.

Another object is to provide a new and improved charging machine that will quickly remove a chilled slab from a roll table and return it thereto with a minimum of interruption to the continuous slab processing line.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be more completely disclosed and described in the following specification, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the slab charger, roll table and reheat furnace;

FIGURE 2 is an elevation view, partly in section, of the slab charger, roll table and reheat furnace, showing the slab charger lifting a slab from the roll table and lowering it into the reheat furnace;

FIGURE 2a is an enlarged detail view of the tine portion of the lift arm shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 3 is a view of the slab charger taken along the line 3-3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged detail view of the carriage actuating means of the slab charger shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a view of the carriage actuating means looking in the direction of the arrows 5--5 in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged detail view of the lifting and lowering actuating means of the slab charger as shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a view of the lifting and lowering actuating means taken along the line 7-7 in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a view of the lifting and lowering actuating means looking in the direction of the arrows 8-8 in FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 9 is a view of the eccentric mechanism looking in the direction of the arrows 9-9 in FIGURE 8.

Referring now to the drawings, the slab charger indicated generally at 10 includes a carriage body portion 12 mounted on elevated supports shown generally at 13. Pivotally supported by the carriage body portion 12 are lift arms shown generally at 14. Supported on carriage body portion 12 is an actuating means shown generally at 16 for driving the carriage. Supported on the carriage body portion 12 are actuating means shown generally at 18 for lifting and lowering the lift arms. Also supported by the carriage body portion 12, shown generally at 20, is the lifting and lowering eccentric mechanism of the actuating means 18. A roll table shown generally at 22 is positioned below the elevated supports 13. The roll table 22 is part of the continuous line for the treatment of slabs which leads to a rolling machine. Parallel to the roll table 22 is a reheat furnace shown generally at 24. If a chilled slab is found to be on the roll table 22 the roll tabe is stopped.

Upon energization of actuating means 18 the lift arms through the eccentric mechanism 20 (to be discussed in detail later) raise the slab 26 supported by the roll table 22. Upon energization of actuating means 16 the carriage body portion 12 will move traversely towards the reheat furnace 24. Upon re-energization of actuating means 18 and again through the eccentric mechanism 20 the slab will be lowered onto upright supports or pedestals shown generally at 26. The furnace door 28 previously. opened is lowered and the carriage body portion 12 is moved away from the furnace by actuating means 16. Upon c mpletion of the slabs treatment, the furnace door 28 is raised and the carriage body portion is moved towards the reheat furnace by actuating means 16 with its lift arms previously lowered into position by actuating means 18 and lifts the slab from the upright supports 26 in the same manner as the slab was lifted from the roll table. The carriage body portion 1 2'is then moved away from the furnace by actuating means 16 and when in position over the roll table 12 lowers the slab onto the roll table in the same manner as it was lowered onto the upright supports in the reheat furnace. The treated slab is then conveyed along the roll table.

The loading and unloading cycles are preferably automated to include sequential operation and safety features.

Now referring more specifically to FIGURES 4 and 5, and the actuating means 16 for driving carriage body portion 12 of the slab charger. The carriage body portion 12 has a generally fiat plate like bed 30 supported in part by channel members 32. Bed 30 has mounted thereon a frame 34 composed in part by channel member 36 affixed to bed 30 by means of bolts such as at 38. Resting on top of frame 34 are a pair of I-beams 37, 38 which support carriage drive motor 40. Carriage drive motor 40 has at its rear end a housing 42 containing a magnetic brake. The output shaft 44 of carriage drive motor 40 is drivingly connected to the input shaft 46 of a speed reducer, shown. generally at 48, by motor coupling 50. The output drive shaft 52 of the speed reducer 48 is supported and journaled in roller bearings mounted within bearing housing 54. Bearing housing 54 isin turn supported by upright support 56. Output drive shaft 52 has mounted thereon driving sprocket 58 which lies between the bearing housing 54 and Worm gear speed reducer 48. The output drive shaft 52 is drivingly connected to axle 60, which has mounted thereon driven sprocket 62, by means of belt 64. A protective covering 66 surrounds the belt 64. Axle is journaled in bearing 68 mounted within housing 70. Housing 70 is in turn supported by channel members 72, 74. Axle 60 is similarly journaled and supported at its other end. As can be seen in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 wheels 76, 78 ride on tracks 80 and 82, respectively. Track 80 being mounted on and supported by beam 81 which is in turn supported by upright posts, for example at 83 and 84. Track 82 is similarly mounted and supported by upright posts (not shown). The position of worm gear speed reducer 48 may be adjusted with respect to axle 60 by means of bolts 86, threadably engaging a part of frame 34 and member 88 aflixed to bed 30 (FIGURE 4).

Now referring more specifically to FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 and the actuating means 18 for lifting and lowering the lift arms. Mounted on the bed 30 is a second frame 90, composed in part by channel member 92 affixed to carriage body portion 12 by means of bolts such as shown at 94. Resting on top of frame are a pair of I-beams 96, 98 which support lift arm drive motor 100. Motor 100 has at its rear end a housing 102 containing a mag- .netic brake. The output shaft 104 of lift arm drive motor 100 is drivingly connected to the input shaft 106 of a Worm gear speed reducer shown generally at 108 by motor coupling 110. The output drive shaft 112 of the worm gear speed reducer 108 is supported and journaled in roller bearings mounted within bearing housing 110. Housing 110 is in turn supported by upright support 111. Output drive shaft 112 has mounted thereon driving sprocket 114 which lies between bearing housing 110 and worm gear speed reducer 108. The output shaft 112 is drivingly connected to driven shaft 114, which has mounted thereon driven sprocket 116, by means of belt 118. A protective covering surrounds the belt 118.

The position of worm gear speed reducer 108 may be adjusted with respect to driven shaft 114 by means of bolts 122, threadably engaging a part of frame 90rand member 124 aflixed to bed 30.

Driven shaft 114 is journaled in bearing pillow blocks 126, 128. As can be seen best in FIGURE 1, shaft 114 is also journaled in bearing pillow lblocks and 132. Driven shaft 114 has mounted thereon a pair of eccentric shaped sleeves, only one of which will be described in detail. Between pillow blocks'126 and 128-(FIGURES 8 and 9) shaft 114 has mounted thereon an eccentric shaped sleeve 134. Surrounding the eccentric shaped sleeve 134 is a housing 136 having an internal bore 138 having an eccentric shape which rotatably receives the eccentric shape of the sleeve 134. A bearing surface 140 is provided between the sleeve 134 and housing 136. As mentioned above, a second eccentric shaped sleeve is mounted on shaft 114 between pillow bearing blocks 130, 132. Also, a second housing 142 having an internal bore having an eccentric shape which rotatably receives the eccentric shape of the second sleeve mounted on shaft 114. The housing 136 has opening 144 in the bottom thereof to threadedly receive one end of a connecting arm 146. Similarly, housing 142 has an opening in the bottom thereof to receive a second connecting arm 148 (FIGURE 3). Connecting arms 146, 148 are fastened at their other end to the intermediate portion 174 of lift arms 150, 152, 154 and 156 respectively, by means of T-shaped members 158, 160. Depending from the bottom of carriage body portion 12 are members 162, 164, 166 and 168 which pivotally mount the rear portions of lift arms 150, 152, 154 and 156. Also, depending from the bottom of carriage body portion 12 are members 157 which prevent lateral movement of the lift arms.

The lift arms 150, 152, 154 and 156 (as can best be seen in FIGURES 1, 2 and 2a) have body portion 170 having a rear portion 172, an intermediate portion 174 and a front portion 176. The lift arms 150-156 also have a front tine portion 178 extending from the front portion 176. The lift arms are pivotally mounted to the carriage at their rear portion by depending members 162-168 and fastened to the connecting arms 146, 148 at their intermediate portion 174. The lift arm front tine portion 178 consists of a rear end 180, front end 182, top surface 184 and bottom surface 186. The top surface 184 is tapered from the rear end 180 to the front end 182 for a purpose; to be later discussed. The slab charger above discussed is mounted upon elevated tracks 80 and 82 which are above the roll table 22.

The roll table 22 consists of a plurality of horizontal motor driven rolls 190. The rolls are supported by upright members such as at 192, 194. The longitudinal axis of the roll table is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the reheat furnace 24.

The reheat furnace 24, as best seen in FIGURE 1, has therein a plurality of slab receiving upright supports or pedestals 196. Door 28 is provided on the furnace which closes the reheat furnace during treatment of the slabs. Door 28 is opened and closed by movement in a plane intersecting a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the reheat furnace.

In operation of the above described slab charger and installation and referring to FIGURE 2 a slab 26 is moved into position on the roll table 22. Door 28 is opened. The carriage body portion 12 is caused to move into position by operation of carriage drive motor 40 which is drivingly connected to axle 60. The front tine portion 178 or lift arms 150-156 are positioned under the slab 26 and the lift arm drive motor 100 is operated turning output shaft 104 (FIGURE 6). Output shaft 104 of motor 100 being drivingly connected to drive shaft 112 by means of motor coupling 110 through worm gear reducer 108 turns driven shaft 114. In turning, shaft 114 causes the eccentric sleeves mounted thereon and within housings 136, 142 to rotate 180 thereby in turn moving housing 136, 142 and connecting arms 146, 148 connected thereto, As lift arms 150-156 are pivotally connected to the carriage body p'ortion 12 and are connected at their intermediate portions 174 to connecting arms 146, 148 they too will move to the dotted line position shown in FIGURE 2. This movement will cause the lifting of the slab 26 from the roll table 22. It is to be noted that, as the top surface 184 of the front tine portion 178 of the lift arms are tapered, the rear end 180 of the top surface 184 of the front tine portion first comes in contact with the slab 26, the front end 182 of the top surface 184 contacting the slab subsequently. This tapered top surface 184 along with the movement of the lift arms above described allows the slab to be lifted gently.

After the slab 26 has been lifted from the roll table, the carriage body portion 12 then moves traversely along the tracks to the position shown by the dotted lines in FIGURE 2, in front of the furnace with the front tine portion 178 of the lift arms 150-156, carrying the slab 26, positioned within the furnace. The shaft 114 is again turned to rotate the eccentric sleeves 180 thereby lowering front tine portion 178 of the lift arms 150-156 below the upright supports 196 and depositing the slab 26 thereon. The carriage body portion 12 then moves away from the furnace. The furnace door 28 is lowered and the slab heated to the required temperature. Upon completion of the slabs treatment, the furnace door 28 is raised and the carriage 12 moves towards the furnace with the front tine portion 178, previously lowered, of lift arms 150-156, into position beneath the top surface of upright supports 196 to lift the slab 26. The shaft 114 again turns, rotating the eccentric sleeves 180 which in turn moves housings 136, 142 and connecting arms 146, 148 connected thereto thereby raising the lift arms and the slab 26 therewith. The carriage then returns to its position above the roll table. The shaft 114 is again turned rotating the eccentric sleeves 180 thereby lowering front tine portion 178 of the lift arms 150-156 below rolls 190 and thereby gently depositing the slab 26 thereon.

It can be readily seen that in all of the above mentioned operations the slab is firmly supported and balanced. Also, the slab is transferred to the roll table and upright supports of the furnace without imparting substantial enertial load thereto, thereby preventing damage to them or to the slabs.

If an excessively elongated slab is to be treated, the slab charger can be operated in tandem with a similar slab charged adjacent thereto and operating in unison therewith.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, we have explained the principle, preferred construction, and mode of operation of our invention and have illustrated and described what we now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, we desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

What is claimed is:

1. A charging machine for transferring slabs between a roll table and a reheat furnace comprising,

carriage means mounted upon elevated support means positioned adjacent said roll table, said carriage means adapted to move towards and away from said reheat furnace,

said carriage means including a body portion having a pair of axles mounted thereon, said axles each having a pair of wheels rotatably mounted thereon, lift arm means pivotally affixed to said carriage means, first actuating means supported by said carriage means for moving said carriage means on said support means, said first actuating means drivingly connected to one of said pair of axles, second actuating means supported by said carriage means for pivotally moving said lift arm means relative to said carriage means,

said second actuating means including a motor drivingly connected to ashaft supported by said carnage means,

said shaft having an eccentric shaped sleeve mounted thereon, a a

a housing having an internal bore with an eccentric shape rotatably receiving said eccentric shaped sleeve, and

said housing having a depending portion connected to said lift arm means whereby upon energization of said motor said lift arm means may be lifted or lowered.

2. A charging machine for transferring slabs between a roll table and a reheat furnace comprising, i

carriage means mounted upon elevated support means positioned adjacent said roll table, said carriage means adapted to move towards and away from said reheat furnace,

said carriage means including a body portion having a pair of axles mounted thereon, said axles each having a pair of wheels rotatably mounted thereon,

lift arm means pivotally affixed to said carriage means,

first actuating means supported by said carriage means for moving said carriage means on said support means, said first actuating means drivingly connected to one of said pair of axles,

second actuating means supported by said carriage means for pivotally moving said lift arm means relative to said carriage means,

said lift arm means including a body portion and a tine portion,

said body portion having a rear portion, an intermediate portion, and a front portion,

said lift arm means being pivotally afiixed to said carriage means at said rear portion,

said second actuating means connected to said lift arm means intermediate portion, said front tine portion having a rear end adjacent said front portion, a front end, a top surface and a bottom surface, and

said top surface being tapered from said rear end to said front end,

said top surface adjacent said rear end first coming into contact with said slab upon pivotal movement of said lift arm means relative to said carriage means thereby allowing said slab to be gently lifted.

3. A charging machine for transferring slabs between a roll table and a reheat furnace comprising,

carriage means mounted upon elevated support means positioned adjacent said roll table said carriage means adapted to move towards and away from said reheat furnace,

lift arm means pivotally affixed to said carriage means,

first actuating means supported by said carriage means for moving said carriage means on said support means,

second actuating means supported by said carriage means for pivotally moving said lift arm means relative to said carriage means,

said second actuating means including a motor drivingly connected to a shaft supported by said carriage means,

said shaft having mounted thereon a plurality of eccentric shaped sleeves,

a plurality of housings having internal bores with an eccentric shape rotatably receiving said eccentric shaped sleeves, and

said housings each having a depending portion connected to said lift arm means whereby upon energization of said motor said lift arm means may be lifted or lowered.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein a charging machine for transferring slabs between a roll table and a reheat furnace comprising,

carriage means mounted upon elevated support means 7 positioned adjacent said roll table, said carriage means adapted to move towards and away from said reheat furnace,

said carriage means including a body portion having a pairof axles mounted thereon, said axles each having a pair of wheels rotatably mounted thereon,

lift arm means pivotally aflixed to said carriage means,

first actuating means supported by said carriage means for moving said carriage means on said support means, said first actuating means drivingly connected to one of said pair of axles,

second actuating means supported by said carriage means for pivotally moving said lift arm means rela tive to' said carriage means,

' said lift arm means including a body portion and a tine portion,

said body portion having a rear portion, an intermediate portion, and a front portion,

said lift arm means being pivotally affixed to said carriage means at said rear portion,

said second actuating means connected to said lift arm means'intermediate portion, said front tine portion having a rear end adjacent said front portion, a front end, a top surface and a bottom surface,

said second actuating means including a motor drivingly connected to a shaft supported by said carriage means,

said shaft having mounted thereon a plurality of eccentric shaped sleeves,

a plurality of housings having internal bores with an eccentric shape rotatably receiving said eccentric shaped sleeves, and

said housings each having a depending portion connected to said lift arm means intermediate portion whereby upon energization of said motor said lift arm means may be lifted or lowered.

5. A charging machine for transferring slabs between a roll table and a reheat furnace comprising,

. 8 carriage means mounted upon elevated support means positioned adjacent said roll table, said carriage means adapted to move towards and away from said reheat I furnace,

lift arm means pivotally aifixed to said carriage means, first actuating means supported by said carriage means for moving said carriage means on said support means,

second actuating means supported by said carriage means for pivotally moving said lift arm means relative to said carriage means,

- said lift arm means including a plurality of lift arms each having a body portion and a tine portion, said body portions each having a rear portion, an intermediate portion and a front portion,

said plurality of lift arms each being pivotally affixed to said carriage means at said rear portion,

said actuating means having a plurality of depending portions connected to said plurality of lift arms at said intermediate portions, and each of said plurality of depending portions being connected to a pair of said lift arms by T-shaped connecting means at their intermediate portions.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said carriage means comprises a body portion having a pair of axles mounted thereon, said axles each having a pair of Wheels rotatably mounted thereon, said first actuating means drivingly connected to one of said pair of axles.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 463,503 11/1891 Franck 21426 1,799,209 4/ 1931 Bennington 21426 1,910,267 5/1933 Smith et a1. 21426 HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner. 

